Span-wire pole.



N0. 669,496. Pat'en ted Mar. 5. mm. J. LANZ.

SPAN WIRE POLE.

I (Application filed July 21, 1899'.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 669,496. Patented Mar. 5, mm. J. LANZ.

SPAN WIRE POLE.

(Application filed July 21, 1899.)

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheats$heet 2.

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SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 669,496, dated. March5, 1901.

Application filed July 21, 1899. Serial No. 724,625. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN LANZ, of Pittsburg, in the county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSpan-Wire Poles, of which the following isa full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation,partly broken away, of my improved column. Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe same, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line III III of Fig. 1.Fig. 4: is a sectional side elevation of another form of my improvedpole. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same, and Fig. 6 is across-section on the line VI VI of Fig. 4. i

My invention relates to built-up columns or poles, and more especiallyto those used for span-wires for electric railroads; and its object isto obtain a simple, cheap, and strong construction therefor,which shallalso be neat and ornamental in appearance.

In the accompanying drawings I show in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 a pole composedof three channels 2, the web 3 of each channel being bent intooutwardly-curved form and the upper portion of such web being formedwith a central trough portion 4a, which is gradually increased in depthfrom the point 01.,where it begins, to the point 19 near the top of thepole. From the point I) the pole is straight to its top. The channelsare secured together by rivets 5, passing through their flanges andthrough filler-plates 6 between the flanges and which extend throughoutthe lower straight portion of the pole. For a thirtyfoot pole this lowerstraight portion is preferably about fifteen feet in length. The lowerportion of the pole, which is under ground, may be left open between theflanges, if desired, and secured together by inside connectors 7 (shownin Fig. 1) and riveted or otherwise secured to the webs of the channels.I preferably employ at the ground-level an inside strengthening-shellconsisting of three plates 8, whose ends abut together between thejoints of the channels and are riveted through their webs. This shellpreferably extends about one foot above the ground-level and one footbelow, thus strengthening the pole at the point of greatest strain. Ialso preferably use an outer cylindrical shell 9, consisting of a platebent into circular form, with its ends abutting together and secured byinner plates 10, riveted through them. This shell is secured to the poleby angleplates 11, riveted to the shell and to the flanges of thechannels, or in any other desirable way. The shell fits around theoutside of the straight lower portion of the pole and preferably extendsabout two feet under ground and four feet above ground. Goncrete isfilled in between the pole and this outer shell, which thus helps tostrengthen the pole and acts as a wheel-guard. Between the straightlower portion of the pole and the tapered upper portion there is a shortopen space between the flanges, which flanges may be secured togetherthroughout this portion by rivets extending through the flanges andthrough washers or filler-blocksbetween them. At the upper end of thisopen space the trough portions of the webs begin and extend upwardly,gradually growing deeper toward the top. The top may be finished by anopen ring 12, riveted within the channel, and which prevents change ofdiameter when clamps or other fixtures are applied. Any cover-plate orornament may be secured to this end of the pole. The gradually-taperingtrough portions of the web tend to spread apart the lower straightportions of the channels unless these are bent during the forming of thetroughs, and the pole may be made with the lower portions of thechannels spread apart in pyramidal form and secured together by insideconnectors,such as 7 the flanges not being joined. The fillers betweenthe flanges may be in the form of plain bars or may be T or angle ironsand may be made of different lengths and thickness, graduated accordingto the strain.

In Figs. 4:, 5, and 6 I show another form of my invention in which Iemploy three channels 13, whose webs 14 are bent into trough form andare not tapered. tion of this pole the flanges of the channels arespread apart from each other and are secured together by inner plates15, riveted through the sides of the troughs. For a thirty-foot polethis straight portion will extend about ten feet from the lower end ofthe pole. For the next fifteen feet the channels are bent in graduallytoward each other, giv- In the lower porwebs.

ing a tapered portion, until the flanges meet at about five feet fromthe top, this top portion being straight, with the flanges riveteddirectly together. In this form also I may use a pipe 16, surroundingthe portion of the pole at the ground-level and riveted to the troughs,this pipe extending about four feet above ground and two feet below. Itwill be noted that in all of the channels shown the flanges areconsiderably thicker than the This is of material advantage, since themetal is thus spread farther away from the center of the pole, which isthus strengthened.

The advantages of my invention result from the obtaining of a hollowcolumn of general tubular or pipe form without the welding together ofsuccessive sections. The channels may be easily bent up in dies to givethe desired form, and the column is easily and cheaply made. At the sametime it is of great strength and presents an attractive appearance.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the partswithout departing from my invention, since What I claim is 1. A column,having a straight lower portion and tapered upper portion, said columnbeing composed of channels, the upper portions of whose webs are.provided with tapering trough portions; substantially as described.

2. A hollow pole composed of channels with outwardly-curved Webs and acurved inner strengthening-plate secured in contact with the inner facesof the channels, and crossing the joint; substantially as described.

3. A tapered pole having a lower straight portion, composed of channelswith outwardly-extending flanges and outwardly bent or curved webs, themeeting edges of the channels being spaced apart throughout the lower straight portion ofthe pole, the uppcrportions of the webs having taperingtrough portions; 4; substantially as described.

4. A pole having a lower straight portion and an upper tapering portion,andastrengthening-casing surrounding at least a part of the straightportion and riveted thereto, the

top of the casing being open to allow the introduction of cement,substantially as described.

5. A hollow pole of pipe form composed of channeled shapes, the webs ofthe channels surrounding the hollow center, and a surrounding casingsecured to the shapes; substantially as described.

6. A hollow pole of general pipe form composed of channeled shapes,having inside tieplates secured to the webs; substantially as described.

7. A hollow pole of general pipe form, composed of channeled shapes,with inner tieplates secured to the inner faces of their webs, and asurrounding casing secured to .the pole; substantially as described.

8. A hollow pole composed of channeled shapes having trough-shaped websspaced apart from each other, and inner plates connecting the shapes andsecured to the troughshaped webs; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN LANZ.

Witnesses:

T.'M. REDMAN, O. O. BITTNER.

